photo #8618094

Anna Hyatt Huntington, Diana of the Chase. Modeled in 1922, Bronze (96 inches high). Anna Vaughn Hyatt (1876-1973) grew up between the two local poles of academic Cambridge, where her father was professor of paleontology and zoology, and the artistic ambience of Cape Ann. It was on the Seven Acres estate in Annisquam where Anna first studied the characteristics of animals, subsequently creating small animal statues which she sold through stores such as Shreve, Crump & Low. She headed to New York to pursue an art career against all odds but found a cadre of other women artists. By the early 1900s her small statuettes were so popular that she was independently wealthy and was able to travel to the continent. When winning an Honorable Mention at the Paris Salon of 1910, for her large sculpture of Joan of Arc, the judges were dubious that a woman could create such a monumental sculpture and were reluctant to give the award. By 1926, she had acquired more than six awards. Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington eventually married the wealthy Archer Huntington, thus the full name by which the sculptor is known today. Fast forward almost a century into the future, when, after receiving the Sotheby’s Fall 2017 catalogue, Janet and Wilber were stunned to see a listing for Anna Hyatt Huntington’s larger than life sculpture of Diana of the Chase, one of her most epic works. They were delighted that such a legendary piece could come up for auction and turned to their friend John Driscoll for background research and perhaps, to bid. John confirmed that it was one of the original six castings done at Kunst Foundry in New York, a fact that was not represented by the auction house. John was given their top price, plus two bidding rounds with which to “stretch.” The strategy succeeded and Diana became a cornerstone of the collection, and now resides at Cape Ann Museum, having been gifted in 2022.